Sam Fender has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
The star was awarded the cheque on 16 October as his latest record People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role local spots had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a small levy to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, generating more than £100,000 on his recent tour to support thirty-eight local spots across Britain.
The donation supported locations that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and fans.
"The concept that funds from shows in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.
He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when the band earned the trophy in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the band would donate their prize money to the charity War Child.
That year, artist Ms Dynamite divided her bounty among multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I donated a grand to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," the artist told the media.
In recent years, the band donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their act, in addition to other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our victory touched another person's life."
In the past week, the trust announced it had saved several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in the city and the other in Bristol were acquired under the public acquisition program, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the buildings.
